The Sun Is My Enemy

Cloudy days are my brightest days. I put on my shades, safari hat, gloves, and plenty of sunscreen before heading out to meet some friends for lunch. When I go into the restaurant, I know one of them will call out, "Hey, here comes the invisible man."



Sometimes I wish I were invisible. Today is another day though, and I intend to make the most of it. After all, it is a gloomy, rainy day, making it a great day for me to be out. I was diagnosed with xeroderma pigmentosum, or "XP" at the age of two. I developed a skin cancer on my lower lip that my parents thought was a cold sore. It turned out to be a squamous cell carcinoma, a serious skin cancer, and it had to be surgically removed. Since then, I never go outside without all of my "protection" from the deadly sun's rays that people refer to as ultraviolet rays.



Once a week we meet at one of the local restaurants. Today we are meeting at the Eaton Place, a local eatery well known for their breakfasts any time of day. The brown shingled establishment does not look like much from the outside, but the food is great and not too expensive. When I first walk in I can feel the stares of a few newbies as they see me enter through the main door located very near the cashier and the customers paying on the way out.



The "regulars" don't even give me a second look. By now most have become accustomed to seeing me with my dark blue safari hat, elbow length matching gloves, and my wire rimmed reflective sun glasses. I quickly slip it all off as I enter the restaurant and out of the sun's evil rays.



Once inside, I am a normal person. Nobody thinks I am going to rob the place or mug some unsuspecting customer. After all, I don't look any different except for a few scars from where I had some cancerous lesions removed from my face, the most vulnerable place for skin cancer. Plastic surgeons have done their best to keep me from looking too bad, and for the most part, they have done pretty well. My friends don't see anything abnormal about me as they have become accustomed to me as a person, and not my appearance. We even started a bowling team a couple of years ago, just so we could all do something together without me being exposed to any harmful ultraviolet rays. These are guys who would rather be outside playing softball in the blazing sun in the middle of July, but they found a way to do both. Just thinking about it makes me tear up, but in a good way.



As I join them for lunch, I realize it is not about the food or putting an end to the hunger pangs that are making my stomach growl loud enough to attract attention. It's about being with true friends. Guys that are just big teddy bears in plaid shirts and dirty jeans who know how to make someone feel special. It's time to order.